The Greenburgh Hebrew Center, of Dobbs Ferry, NY, has been selected to be one of six synagogues in the NY metropolitan region – and the only synagogue in Westchester – to participate in a cutting-edge strategic planning program sponsored by UJA-Federation of New York and its Synagogue Leadership Development Project (SYNERGY). The selection, a culmination of months of preparation and training, was announced by UJA Federation of New York on Monday, Feb 28th.

The Sustainable Synagogue Business Models (SSBM) program teaches a professional, data-driven approach to decision-making and provides sophisticated tools to help participating synagogues fulfill their mission and vision. Through the SSBM project, UJA-Federation/SYNERGY and the consulting firm Measuring Success will help GHC modernize it’s planning and decision-making practices, and help gather and analyze data that will guide GHC in strengthening its community.

Over the next year, GHC will

take part in a survey to learn about the experiences, needs and wants of our members and program participants,

participate in a financial analysis using resource-based accounting to more fully understand how to best allocate our resources, and

learn how to better use data to provide the greatest value to our members and enhance our community.

“This will be a challenging and rewarding experience that will help us to grow and thrive” said Deborah Jagoda, Executive Vice President of GHC.

The other five synagogues participating in this year’s study are Central Synagogue in Midtown East, B’nai Jeshurun on the Upper West Side, East Meadow Jewish Center on Long Island, Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn, and Temple Sinai of Roslyn Heights.

Last year was the first pilot year for the SSBM study, and the initial participants explored issues such as:

Is price causing synagogue membership to drop?

Is our nursery school a pipeline for future growth?

How do you attract new members anyway?

Aren’t our longest-standing and most-active members the most enthusiastic promoters?

The Greenburgh Hebrew Center is a Conservative egalitarian congregation with over 360 member families, serving the Rivertowns, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, White Plains, New Rochelle and Yonkers. It is located at 515 Broadway in Dobbs Ferry. For more information and travel directions call (914) 693-4260, visit our website at www.g-h-c.org.